JOPLIN, Mo. —
Ronald Metz’s fingers fold pinched-off portions of a skinny, blue balloon, wrapping and squeezing them until the balloon ends up looking like a tail-wagging pooch.
Like a good typist, his eyes never stray down to the work being done by his hands. Rather, he carries on a conversation about the art of balloon twisting as he completes a second animal -- this one a horse -- in just under 20 seconds.
Now, that’s pretty fast. But Metz shrugs at the remark.
“If you entertain kids and keep their attention, you can take a bit longer to make a balloon animal,” he said. “But if you’re twisting and not really interacting with the children, then yeah, you definitely have to be fast.”
How does Metz avoid popping the balloons?
“Well, I’ve popped a few on occasion,” he said, laughing. “Most kids like it. But when it does happen, you just make a joke about it and move on.”
Metz is a professional balloon twister. He plies his trade annually at Landreth Park during Fourth of July festivities and also makes appearances at business expo conventions.
The Balloon Guy
He earned the nickname “the Balloon Guy” from trick-or-treaters whom he’d ask each Halloween to choose from one of two bowls -- one filled with candy, the other with balloons.
“(I gave) out eight to nine balloon animals to every piece of candy,” Metz said.
But this retired Joplin mail carrier and U.S. Army veteran is much more than just a creator of balloon-shaped giraffes, pirate swords and long-stemmed roses. He’s also a clown.
Or rather, two clowns.
“I’ve been a clown since 1993,” Metz said. “I was at a church retreat, and the theme that year was dressing up and performing skits as clowns. And I’ve been clowning around since then.”
From there, Metz made visits to clown camps in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Branson. His work there helped him perfect a light Auguste Clown named “Pastyr Funybone,” as well as a Tramp clown known as “Clarence T. Funybone.” Both have made numerous appearances throughout the Four-State area over the years, including both Joplin hospitals.
Seeing people both young and old break out in smiles and cheers, he said, is ultimately why he does what he does.
Putting others first
“I enjoy doing stuff with kids,” Metz said. “My whole focus through life is sharing and giving back to people. I’ve been, from high school to my retirement, either in the military -- active or inactive, guard or reserve -- or working as a postal carrier, which is still a service to the community. So pretty much my entire working life has been in service to others. My whole focus has always been in that direction.”
Since his retirement last year from the Joplin Post Office, Metz has established his own business, Heartland Balloons. Branching off into a new entertainment direction, he now offers balloon decorations.
By tying balloons of all sizes together, he can create huge balloon columns, arches, walls, custom sculptures and even centerpieces for banquets or get-togethers.
Recently, he attended the Clowns of America International Convention in Kansas City and placed ninth in the balloon arrangement competition. The decorations are more elaborate than making a balloon dog, he said.
Metz made a huge arch for the Joplin postal service’s annual Christmas party that consisted of hundreds of different-sized and colored balloons.
“It’s bigger internationally, in Europe, than it is over here in the U.S., but it is growing in popularity here,” Metz said. “(The balloon sculptures) are works of art. They are classified by some as works of art, and they are. No doubt about it.”
Globe Life
Related Photos
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Ronald Metz, of Joplin, can pull and tie together a balloon dog in less than 40 seconds. Globe | Kevin McClintock
Discussion
Balloons become everything from giraffes to gateways in Joplin man's hands
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